Another Day in Paradise
by scarylolita
Summary: Life is rough for Sasuke right now and dignity is something people keep taking from him. Naruto steps into the picture and makes things worse before making things better. AU, NaruSasu.


**Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto.**

 **Angstangstangst with Sasuke the stripper. All in Naruto's POV.**

* * *

' _Cause we are just animals  
Baby it's primal  
I want you on all fours  
And before I let you walk  
You gotta show me how you crawl  
If you want it all  
It's non-negotiable  
So do as I say  
If you wanna get the job  
You better know who's the boss_

Nicki Minaj

Last summer we all went camping to celebrate the end of high school. Naturally, we cracked open a few bottles of alcohol. Sasuke was unconscious before midnight. He could never hold his liquor. So, we put him on an air mattress and pushed it into the middle of the lake. Come morning, everyone woke up to the sounds of him shrieking. We all sat back and watched until he fell in and something occurred to me – something I should have remembered much sooner: Sasuke can't swim. In a fit of panic, I jumped in and saved his ass. I had to give him mouth to mouth and everything. Oh, well. It's not like it was the first time we touched lips. That happened back when we were ten. Long story short, I got shoved.

Anyway, Sasuke coughed up the water and then immediately puked. I think I made his inevitable hangover a thousand times worse than it would have been if he didn't almost drown. He was so fucking angry with me that he ignored me for weeks.

When we were all smashed, it sounded like a splendid idea, but thinking about it sober he probably could've died and we're damn lucky he didn't. I can't deny how hilarious it was, though.

I'm always doing dumb shit like that. It's like I can't help it. Ino always jokes around and says it's because I have a crush. I laugh it off, but hey, maybe I do. Sasuke is a cute guy. I mean it. He's got kind of a stupid haircut, but that's fine. He has nice skin and when he smiles you can see dimples in his cheeks. He doesn't smile much, though. He's kind of sour. Sometimes I try to make him smile, but he never looks amused. He just brushes me off and walks the other way. That isn't to say we aren't friends. We are. We always have been, though we compete a lot. I guess it's in our nature, but it's harmless. Well, _usually_ it's harmless.

Sasuke is a stripper now. I haven't seen him in action, but apparently he works on Men's Nights at the local bar, which happens twice a week - Thursdays and Fridays. There's only one strip club in Konoha, so each day of the week is something different – women dancing for men, men dancing for men, men dancing for women, women dancing for women… So on, so on.

I thought it was kind of funny and kind of sad at the same time because Sasuke doesn't seem like the type of guy who would strip for money. He's rigid and modest. I guess it's a different story once he's under neon lights. Ino works as a bartender, so she's seen him in action. Ino also happens to date one of the strippers – a guy named Sai. He's older than us and never finished high school, but Ino seems fond of him. Ino says the strippers all know their way around men, even Sasuke. I found that surprising.

Sasuke is a loner. He has been for a long time. He's also really unstable and I can't even count the amount of tantrums I've seen him have... I get why, though.

His entire family died in some freak robbery some years back. They caught the guy who did it, but I don't think Sasuke ever really recovered. It's not something he talks about. All I know is what I read in the papers. He was thirteen. He hid under the bed and listened to them all get murdered. Though culprits were caught, but you can't really offer total closure to a kid whose family was slaughtered. I can't even imagine it. I have no family, either, but my situation it a lot different than Sasuke's. I never knew my parents. My mom got sick and my dad got sad. I was only two. After that, my cousin Karin's family took me in. They've been kind, but I'm making it on my own now.

I live in an apartment downtown near the club Sasuke works at. I just moved in last week. It's nothing fancy, but it's nice. I've been saving for a long time. I spent high school working at the local fish market. Every day I smelled like shit, but that didn't matter. I had no one to impress. Now I work at the brewery. Since it's close to my home it's a lot more convenient.

Tonight, I'm off early. And it's Thursday. So, I decide to pay Sasuke a visit. First off, let me say this: I don't "like" men. Not generally, at least. I just haven't seen Sasuke in a while and this might be fun. I'm curious to see how he gets the job done.

As soon as I step inside, I see Ino at the bar. She waves me over, a big smile on her face. "Hey, you," she says. "Long time, no see. What the hell are you doing here on a Thursday?"

"I wanted to see Sasuke," I tell her.

She chuckles. "You'll be seeing quite a lot of him tonight. He's backstage. He's probably changing, but he'll be out soon enough."

I nod and order a drink – rum and coke.

"My boyfriend is on stage now," she says.

"It doesn't bug you?" I ask with a snort.

"Nah," she says dismissively. "If might if he was dancing for girls, but the fact that he dances for guys… That doesn't bother me. While he might find it fun, I know he isn't attracted to men the way he's attracted to women. Plus, it's just work."

"Well, that's good," I offer. When the drink is made, I pay and move towards the stage, taking a seat and watching the guy on stage – Ino's boyfriend. He's pale – even paler than Sasuke. He has the same dark hair, though… just a slightly more normal haircut. He swings around on the pole effortlessly, wearing a black g-string. He's a good looking dude, so it's no wonder Ino fell for him. They'll probably make pretty babies.

Soon enough, Sasuke saunters out onto the floor. He definitely looks the part. He's scantily clad, wearing just a pair of tight, neon blue colored shorts (and trust me when I say they're _short –_ I can pretty much see his ass cheeks). He has a barbell through the upper part of his navel, too.

"Hey," I call him over, smirk in place. When he spots me, he pales noticeable. It's priceless. I gesture to my groin and say, "Gimme a lap dance."

Tight-jawed, he makes his way towards me. "Why are _you_ here?" he asks.

"Because I'm lookin' for a good time," I say. "Gonna give me one?"

"If you pay," he responds pointedly.

"Don't worry," I tell him. "I'll give you a little tip if you're good."

He leans down, grabbing my crotch as his eyes meet mine. "I don't appreciate the attitude, Naruto."

I stifle a smile, bowing my head. "My apologies, Sasuke."

"Since when do you like men?" he asks.

"I don't," I admit.

Well, maybe I'm fibbing slightly.

"What, then?" he bites out. "You just wanted to come gawk at me like every other asshole I went to school with?"

I grab the rim of his shorts and let the band snap back against his skin. "Come on, don't be a whiny baby," I say. "That's not why I'm here and you know it. We're friends, after all."

"If you can even call it that," he mutters. Nonetheless, he turns around and dips low, grinding against me. Nice. He definitely knows what he's doing.

I stare at his shoulders, his spine and the curve of his back. I could probably fuck him and be okay with it. He's pretty and kind of soft looking.

I've never done this kind of thing before and it's making me feel guilty. I reach for a few bills and stick them in the rim of his shorts. He stops and turns to stare at me with an unreadable expression. I stand up and start walking back towards the bar. I glance back at Sasuke once more, just in time to see some old fart smack his ass hard. Ugh.

I sit at a bar stool and Ino eyes me. She's judging. "Stop _teasing_ him," she warns me.

I blink innocently. "I don't know what you're referring to."

"Just admit you like him," she says, "and stop trying to overcompensate for it by being a dick to him."

"He's a dick to me, too," I protest. "Plus, I like girls better."

She rolls her eyes at me. "It's possible to like both, Naruto. Sexuality is a spectrum. Just admit you like him and maybe he'll admit he feels the same way."

I feel my eyes narrow at her. "What do you know about the way he feels? He hides everything."

"I make it my business to know these things," she says with a wink.

She's such a gossip.

I wave a dismissive hand and order another drink.

* * *

I spent most of the night chatting with Ino, but the liquor makes me tired. I announce my departure and stand up. Just outside, I see Sasuke getting harassed by the same guy that smacked his ass.

At least he's dressed by now. He's wearing jeans and a t-shirt. There's a gym bag slung over his shoulder. His shift must be over.

With a sigh, I make my way towards him. "Sasuke, there you are," I say, pretending I was looking for him. "Let's go home." I throw an arm around his shoulders and escort him away. When we're far enough, I start asking questions. "What the fuck was that about?" I pry, letting go of him and shoving my hands in my pockets.

He shrugs, staring at the ground as we walk. "Some men can't take no for an answer."

I snort at that. "Yeah, true. What's the story behind that old fart?"

"I had sex with him last month," he mumbles. "On my break I let him take me behind the alley and he fucked me. I guess he wants seconds, but I'm not about that life. Once was enough to realize that."

"Ugh! Why would you fuck someone like that?" I ask with blatant distaste and a grimace.

"Money," he says with a weary smile. "He said he'd give me five hundred dollars… So, I agreed. It was the first and last time. I felt dirty as hell afterward… A lot more dirty than I usually feel. Usually it's just a little bit of touching. I never let someone pay to slip inside me like that before. I decided then and there that I wasn't going to do it again… So, I haven't. I guess I just had to learn it the hard way."

"Oh," I croak. "Shit, that's a lot of money."

"I told him I was a virgin," Sasuke adds.

"Were you?" I wonder.

He offers me another tired smile. "Maybe."

"If you were then you probably could've made even more," I tell him.

"Most of the men that come here are blue collar," Sasuke starts. "They're not white collar corporate big shots. This is a small town, after all. So, most of them don't have crazy money to throw around. I took what I could get. I have two roommates and we all pay 250$ a month each for rent – a total of 750$ a month. I work once a week, so things can get tight when I'm not collecting enough tip money. Five hundred dollars would help me pay the rent for two months, so I was quick to accept… Though it really isn't something I could handle doing again, no matter how quick the cash was."

"I can't believe you fucking do this shit," I mutter with a sneer. "You used to be so fucking smart."

"I _am_ smart," he snaps. "There just aren't a lot of options."

"You like it, then?" I ask.

"Yeah, I just _love_ shaking my ass for money," he says with blatant sarcasm. I wrinkle my nose, not really sure what I can offer him. With a sigh, he admits, "Some people like it. I'm just not one of them... but a job is a job and a lot of people don't like their jobs."

"Sorry," I sympathize.

"Just walk me home," he mutters. "It's late and you're bigger than me."

"A'right," I say with a lazy shrug.

The walk is quiet. Neither of us speaks. Honestly, I don't even know what to say. He leads the way and soon we're standing in front of string of narrow townhouses.

"You live here?" I ask.

"Mhm," he says. "With Jugo and Suigetsu. It's easy since we all work nearby."

"Yeah?" I question for the sake of making conversation. "What do they do?"

"Suigetsu works at the liquor store and Jugo is a bouncer at the same club that I work at," he explains dully.

I just nod my head. "So, you good now?"

"You don't want to come inside?" he offers.

"Well… do you want me to?"

He nods for me to follow him up the driveway. "Just come inside. We'll do something interesting."

"Interesting?" I question.

"Mhm," he murmurs.

We walk inside and he flicks on the lights, kicking off his sneakers. The house is small, but it looks nice and comfy. There are lots of warm colors and wooden furniture.

"Hello?" he calls, only to be greeted with silence. "No one's here," he then points out. "They're probably out getting drunk." He moves into the kitchen, filling himself a glass of water. "Want anything?" he asks me.

"No, I'm fine," I tell him.

He sips for a minute before discarding the cup. We move upstairs and down a narrow hallway before stepping into his bedroom. It's very plain. There's a bed against the far left with a nightstand sitting next to it and a bureau sitting adjacent. On the nightstand sits a lamp and an old family photograph. There's a desk against the far right next to what I assume to be a closet door. On the opposite corner sits a tall lamp. It's small and the walls are plain, but it suits Sasuke. He likes to try and keep things simple.

He drops his bag against the wall and walks towards his bed, sitting on the edge. He pats the spot next to him, wordlessly telling me to sit with him. So, I do. "Uh, what are we doing?" I ask him, but he doesn't respond. Instead, he takes my hand and runs it up his thigh. "Er…" I pause. "What…?"

"Do I have to spell it out for you?" he scoffs. "F-U-C-K-M-E."

"W-what?" I sputter.

"I _know_ it's what you want." He lets out a mirthless laugh, shoving me back onto the bed and sitting on my midsection. "Kinks or vanilla?"

"Sasuke, stop, stop!" I shout, grabbing him by the arms and forcing him to still. "Wait a second!" I demand. "I don't want to take advantage of you!"

"What a gentleman you are," he says cynically. "I hate that about you."

"Turn off this fucking annoying façade. This isn't what I want from you. If what you told me earlier was true, you're practically still a virgin! I don't want to be yet another asshole guy who takes advantage of you." I let go of him and he simply stares at me. He looks melancholic. "Sasuke?" I say his name in a questioning tone.

He closes his eyes and slowly leans down, pressing his face into the crook of my neck. With a quiet sigh, I reach a hand up and rub my hands up his back, through his soft, feathery hair and back down again.

"Have you ever been on a date?" I ask him.

"No," he mumbles against my skin.

"Then let me take you out," I proposition. "It'll be fun. We'll do the cliché dinner and movie and I'll kiss you at your doorstep when I drop you off at the end of the night."

He lets out a laugh and I feel his warm breath. A moment later he sits up, staring down at me. "Fine," he relents.

I don't know what made me ask him. Ino was right. I'm not as straight as I like to pretend I am and maybe I really am interested in Sasuke... Well, I think I just made that obvious.

* * *

We end up sleeping side by side in his bed, but no funny business. When I wake up, Sasuke is already up and showered and dressed. His hair is flat and damp, but it'll be stuck up in its usual strange angles by the time it dries.

"Hey," I greet him groggily, forcing myself into a sitting position.

"Hi," he returns flatly.

"So, I should head out," I start, getting out of his bed, "but I'll pick you up tonight, say around eight?"

"I work tonight..." he says in that same, flat tone of voice.

"You don't work ALL night," I reply knowingly.

He huffs, relenting. "All right."

I smile and then let myself out afterwards. It's bright outside, especially compared to the dimness of Sasuke's house. I squint as I make my way down the street. I don't live too far from here, luckily.

It was strange being at Sasuke's house.

Everything about the night was strange – especially how it ended. But, hey, I got a hot date tonight.

* * *

When 8PM rolls around, Suigetsu answers the door and informs me that Sasuke isn't home yet. I thank him and head to the strip club. The first person I see is Jugo. He's standing by the entrance.

"Sasuke here?" I ask him.

He nods. "Inside."

When I walk into the joint, I see Sasuke giving some guy a lap dance. I watch for a minute before turning away. I move to the bar and see Ino. She greets me with a smile and I return it.

"How's business?" I ask.

"Quiet night," she says.

"That's good."

"So, what's up?" she asks me.

I shrug my shoulders. "I was supposed to pick Sasuke up, but he's still here. So, I'm gonna wait for him."

Ino raises an eyebrow, leaning forward. "Didja confess to him?"

"Not quite, but I did ask him out," I tell her.

She snickers, drawing back and mixing me a drink. "You might be here for a while," she says, placing it in front of me. "Sasuke was going to leave an hour ago, but he said he'd stay on. Maybe he's scared."

"Of what?" I snort, sucking back whatever it is Ino mixed me.

"Of you, I guess," she explains. "I doubt he's ever been on a date before. He's probably going to try and avoid you."

I don't like the sound of that, but I can't say I'm entirely surprised. I knew he wasn't going to make this easy. He's probably going to play hard to get. Then again, maybe he isn't playing.

Instead of waiting around, I move in front of the stage and grab Sasuke away from the guy he's rubbing himself all over. I take him aside and say, "Come on, let's leave."

"I'm working," he points out flatly.

"Ino already told me you're allowed to leave," I say.

"Damn her…" he huffs, crossing his arms. "Well, what is it, then? Clearly you want something."

"Yeah, to take you out."

"I'm not ready," he says pointedly, gesturing to his scantily clad appearance.

"Well, I'll walk you back to your house and wait," I insist.

He looks irritated, but he begrudgingly agrees. He goes into a backdoor to grab his things. When he reappears, he's dressed in sweatpants and a t-shirt.

We exit the club together and down the street until we reach his cul-de-sac. Inside, I sit in the living room and wait while he readies himself upstairs. He probably needs to shower since there's shiny shit all over his skin.

Suigetsu is on the sofa opposite mine. The TV is on, but he eyes me instead of the screen.

"So, you and Sasuke…?" he asks.

"Guess so," I respond.

He snorts. "This ought to be fun," he says sarcastically.

"Why do you say that?"

"He's the definition of high maintenance. So, you'll never be bored."

"I'm a pretty easy going person," I say. "I don't think we'll have too hard a time."

I try not to give what he's saying too much thought and soon enough Sasuke saunters back downstairs. He looks nice. He's wearing a blue sweater and a pair of khakis.

"Ready," he says decidedly. "Let's go."

I nod, standing up and together we make our way back onto the street.

"Was Suigetsu trash talking me?" he asks, somewhat humoured.

"Nah," I insist. "Why? Does he do that?"

"I think he finds me somewhat intolerable most days," Sasuke admits. "I mean, he cares about me, but I still annoy him."

"Oh," I snort.

We make our way to a little eatery for a late dinner. We're seated in the corner. I order lasagne and scotch on the rocks. Sasuke orders chowder and a long island iced tea.

"This is nice…" he says, sounding surprised.

I smile at him. "You doubted it?"

"Well, I doubted _you_ , I'll admit."

I laugh at that. "Yeah, I think everyone does, but I can show someone a good time."

"How'd you discover this place?" he asks, glancing around at the home-style décor. "I've never even heard of it."

"It's been here for years," I say. "I remember my aunt telling me that my parents used to come here. I mean, I never really got get to know them… but I could somehow picture them eating here, talking, falling in love…"

Sasuke softens, nodding his head. He doesn't respond, but I don't hold it against him. I know he's kind of awkward with stuff like this. "Um…" he starts, pausing. "Do you think about them a lot?"

"Yeah," I admit with a shrug. "Most if it is just me trying to imagine them, y'know?"

"Yeah," he echoes quietly.

"What about you?" I counter. "Do you think about your parents much?"

"Yeah, but they're gone now," he says with a bitter smile.

"I know," I murmur. "I remember reading about it. Are you okay?"

"I take pills for PTSD," he confesses. "I see a therapist once a month. Her name is Tsunade Senju. I think she cares about me. I mean, she seems to. She makes sure I'm not going to go nuts… but sometimes I do and I'll have to call her because I don't want to hurt myself."

"Oh," I say. That doesn't surprise me one bit.

"Still," he murmurs, "none of that stops me from reliving it in my head sometimes. I doubt I'll ever completely recover from it. It was... a bad thing."

"I understand," I sympathize.

I'm glad he's telling me. I can easily remember a time when he wouldn't tell me anything at all. Now it feels like I've earned a tiny bit of trust... somehow.

* * *

Afterward, Sasuke invites me back to his house for drinks. We walk past his place of work and I glance at the neon sign thoughtfully. "I don't know how you do it," I tell him. "By now, I would have gone nuts. I guess you're different than me." His eyebrows draw together and he looks offended, but I don't know why. "What?" I ask.

"Really, Naruto?" he asks with a bitter laugh. "I _hate_ it. I hate all these fat, dirty old men touching me! I hate all the kids I went to school with who come in and gawk at me and see if the rumors are true! It's humiliating because I know exactly what all of them are thinking when they see me! I hate it! I hate them all!" He lets out a sharp sigh, staring at me with wet eyes. "But what else am I supposed to do?" he asks weakly.

"I'm sorry," I apologize.

" _Why_?" he asks tersely, wanting me to say it.

"I came to gawk at you," I mention. "I made you dance for me and I slipped some bills into your waistband. I was being an ass."

He wipes his eyes briskly. "It's fine," he mutters.

It's weird seeing him cry and it makes me feel bad for him.

"It's not," I say. "I'm really, really sorry."

He sighs. "I pretty much expect it by now. You're not the first person to do it and I doubt you'll be the last. I try to look at what I do as empowering or whatever like some of my co-workers… but I can't because I still feel embarrassed when I see people I know in the club when I'm working. I'm not doing it because I want to and I find it freeing, I'm doing it because it was a last resort."

"Yeah," I murmur.

"I only work a couple nights a week, but I can make about a thousand in those two nights if it's busy and that's really fucking good…" he says. "No other job would pay me that well. So, maybe in the end it's worth it."

"It's not worth it if you hate it," I say.

"I don't hate the act itself, I just hate the way people treat me," he mumbles. "And I can't really expect them to treat me otherwise because they don't respect people like me. No one does. We're seen as expendable - something to play with and taunt and tease. Then half of them go home to their wives or whatever."

"They should still respect you," I argue. "Everyone deserves respect."

He smiles faintly, but says nothing more. I can tell it's something that bothers him tremendously. I wish I could change it. I wish I could change the world - make people see things differently... but that's just fucking dumb.

Soon, we arrive back at his house. We sit in the living room and Sasuke cracks open a bottle of wine.

"Suigetsu is probably gone out by now," he says. "That, or he's hiding away in his room."

I chuckle as Sasuke pours me a glass of wine. "Thanks."

"Sure," he says simply.

"So, will I get a second date or did I fuck up?" I ask him.

"We'll see," he teases and, for now, I'll take it.

* * *

As the night progresses, we both get drunker and drunker and we inevitably end up in the bedroom. In my current state, it feels like a good idea. Will I regret it tomorrow? Well, I don't want to think about that. I just want to have sex with him because I've wanted to do it for a damn long time.

We fling off our clothes and he tosses a condom at me before preparing himself on the bed.

This is a good angle for him – face down, ass up… waiting to be fucked.

So, I comply.

"More…!" he demands, pressing his face into the bed sheets.

Again, I comply. If he wants to be fucked hard, then I don't mind obliging him.

* * *

The following morning is spent in reflection.

"Sorry," I finally say, sitting up in bed. We're both naked and it doesn't take a genius to figure out what I'm apologizing about.

He shrugs, sitting up with me. "It's fine…"

"I didn't want our first time to happen when we were both smashed," I murmur.

"It's fine," he says again. "I don't put much meaning into things like sex. It felt good, so that's what matters…"

"Did I hurt you?"

"In a good way," he says with a laugh. "I guess I like it rough."

I snicker at that and the tension over last night starts to melt away.

* * *

So, it didn't happen the way I thought it would... but I feel good about the start of this potential relationship. Though, I still have no idea where Sasuke stands. He's so quiet. I know he doesn't like to talk, but if we hope to make this work, then we have to. He's opened up to me before. I just hope he feels like he can do it again, even though I often tend to live with my foot in my mouth.

Come late evening, I walk Sasuke to work.

"You don't mind that I do this, do you?" he asks me.

"No," I tell him.

"It doesn't make you jealous?" he wonders.

I shake my head. "I know it's just work. A job is a job. Yours just happens to be a little more hands-on than most. What does bother me is the fact that you don't like it much. I wish there was some way for you to get a different job – one that didn't cause you so much grief."

He smiles bitterly. "What a fucking dream… Yeah, I doubt that'll happen any time soon. The economy sucks and I'm not really qualified to do much of anything. This is honestly the only work I could find. I'm flexible and I'm in good shape. Plus, I'm attractive. I can put on a good show. I can flirt and act coy."

I let out a sigh, frowning piteously. "Doesn't make it okay, dude. Your boss probably knows how much you fucking hate what you do. Isn't that exploitation?"

"I don't really have a boss," he explains. "I mean, I have to give a percentage of what I earn to pay for my stage time… but I'm not being controlled by some burly asshole. Sure, the guy that owns the joint is a bit of a sleaze, but he's not keeping me there. He's not taking advantage of me or anything."

"Huh," I muse. "Well, I guess that's good at least."

"Generally, these things work a lot differently than television shows like to portray," he adds. "They're not as exciting, hah…"

I shrug my shoulders and soon we're at the strip joint. I peck him on the lips before he heads inside and we part ways for the night.

* * *

Maybe we're taking things a little quick, but I don't think there's a specific rule about how fast you're supposed to take a relationship.

The next time we fuck, we do it sober and it feels a hell of a lot different. For me, it's better. I hope he feels that way, too. When it's over, I decide to ask him.

"It was nicer this time," he says to me, smiling faintly. "I feel like I could actually soak up what was happening. Last time… I kind of forgot, you know?"

"Yeah," I chuckle, "I know. When you're drunk, it's kind of hard to concentrate on anything, even if you want to."

Sasuke's smile widens slightly. "I still can't believe this is happening..."

"What?" I question.

"Us," he specifies.

I let out another chuckle. "Yeah, me neither… but I like it."

'Me, too," he admits.

"So… how are you doing?" I ask him.

"I'm okay," he says.

"Just okay?"

"Uh, well, lately I'm working on lowering my dosage," he explains. "Maybe someday I won't have to take them at all. I really hate them and if I accidentally forget, I really lose it and become an emotional wreck. Well, I'm sure you've seen me like that in the past."

"Yeah…"

I think that's why Sasuke was always drunk in high school. He wanted to numb whatever it was he was feeling. I guess I can understand that. When all you're feeling is shit, then it kind of seems pointless. I remember sitting next to him in class and there were times he'd smell like a damn brewery. It was kind of one of those things no one talked about. Everyone knew he was volatile and talking about it would have just made him angrier.

He's different now. A little bit, at least. He talks more.

"I used to be afraid to get close to people," he admits somewhat offhandedly.

"Me, too," I tell him.

"I'm not anymore," he adds.

I smile at that. "Neither am I."

We continue to talk. I watch him, listening to him, trying to soak up all that he's saying.

Love can be scary. Maybe that's why I used to deny the way I felt for him. Feelings like this carry dangerous potential. With love, there's always room for heartache. I don't know what my future holds, but I hope that Sasuke is in it.

I think he's the kind of guy I could really, really fall for.

.

.

.

 **Epilogue.**

When the L word finally comes out, Sasuke smiles and says it back. Dumb and sappy as it sounds, it gives me this warm feeling in my chest.

I love this man.

I really fucking do.

Ino always gives me this funny, little grin when she sees us together. It's like she knew that me and Sasuke were just meant to be. I like to think we are, too.

It's been a few months and not much else has changed. Sasuke still strips. I guess that's okay, though. He always says he'll try to look for a new job, but he never does. I don't think he's quite ready to leave that life behind, even if part of him really wants to.

Change doesn't come out of the blue. You need to be ready for it… but that isn't to say he hasn't made progress. He has. He seems a little bit lighter, like there isn't as much dragging him down.

" _I'm doing all right, aren't I?"_ he'll often ask me.

" _Yes_ ," I say.

Yes, yes, always yes because progress doesn't have to be a lot in a little amount of time. It can be a little in a long amount of time and that's still good.

 **FIN.**


End file.
